SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #9

[LetsSolvIt]

This is behind a paywall but probably interesting.

Editorial: Murdaugh mystery raises questions about SC legal system. We need answers. | The Post and Courier, 10 Oct. 2021

Even the best system can’t stop a determined criminal from committing crimes.

But the unfolding Murdaugh saga — from the boat wreck that wasn’t properly investigated to the attempted suicide-insurance scam and now evidence of elaborate extortion schemes — has given even lawyers and judges an uneasy feeling about South Carolina’s legal system. …

 

[Moma J]

3rd paragraph from bottom.

Love okra.

Me too Elley Mae. Good old Southern fried and greasy okra.

 

[sunshineray]

This week coming should be interesting.

I sure hope Bland doesn't lose his bite.

 

[sunshineray]

This is behind a paywall but probably interesting.

Editorial: Murdaugh mystery raises questions about SC legal system. We need answers. | The Post and Courier, 10 Oct. 2021

Even the best system can’t stop a determined criminal from committing crimes.

But the unfolding Murdaugh saga — from the boat wreck that wasn’t properly investigated to the attempted suicide-insurance scam and now evidence of elaborate extortion schemes — has given even lawyers and judges an uneasy feeling about South Carolina’s legal system. …

It should all raise quite a lot of questions, despicable deeds.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

This is interesting summary if you haven’t listened yet (actually all the episodes are terrific). I especially like it when hosts Matt Harris and Seton Tucker bring in legal analyst and former DA, John Snyder, which they do here.

Murdaugh Family Murders: Impact of Influence (podcast), 4 Oct. 2021 | Episode 20. Who knew what, and when did they know it?

 

[Elley Mae]

I sure hope Bland doesn't lose his bite.

I can’t imagine that judge Mullen will not be at least spoken to about this, in private.

Jmo

In an interview Wednesday, Bland said Mullen acted properly and that she was misled by Murdaugh, Fleming and Westendorf.

https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article254805177.html

...

If the above is true then Westendorf is next.

Hoping Bland contacted the Federal reserve.

The Fed - I have a problem with my bank. How do I file a complaint against it?

 

[Countem]

I can’t imagine that judge Mullen will not be at least spoken to about this, in private.

Jmo

In an interview Wednesday, Bland said Mullen acted properly and that she was misled by Murdaugh, Fleming and Westendorf.

https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article254805177.html

...

If the above is true then Westendorf is next.

Hoping Bland contacted the Federal reserve.

The Fed - I have a problem with my bank. How do I file a complaint against it?

After these statements, it seems to me less likely that Judge M was a knowing participant in a criminal conspiracy and more likely that she simply relaxed her “professional skepticism” (auditing term, but still relevant) and took Murdaugh, Fleming, and Westendorf at their words when giving excuses for why they had to circumnavigate usual processes on certain occasions.

I am definitely interested to hear more about Westendorf in the coming weeks.

All MOO.

 

[sunshineray]

After these statements, it seems to me less likely that Judge M was a knowing participant in a criminal conspiracy and more likely that she simply relaxed her “professional skepticism” (auditing term, but still relevant) and took Murdaugh, Fleming, and Westendorf at their words when giving excuses for why they had to circumnavigate usual processes on certain occasions.

I am definitely interested to hear more about Westendorf in the coming weeks.

All MOO.

In the banking and the court systems when is circumventing established procedures ever above reproach? Only the government really has a say in doing less or more than what's called for by established regulations and that's usually within some kind of national crisis. AJMO

 

[clearskies1]

This is interesting summary if you haven’t listened yet (actually all the episodes are terrific). I especially like it when hosts Matt Harris and Seton Tucker bring in legal analyst and former DA, John Snyder, which they do here.

Murdaugh Family Murders: Impact of Influence (podcast), 4 Oct. 2021 | Episode 20. Who knew what, and when did they know it?

Thank you for posting this. Good to hear someone lay out the tremendous conflicts of interest regarding judges hearing cases in which the lawyers/state representatives arguing the cases later vote on whether the judge should keep his/her job. It's a horrible situation in that state. I think in any state that has an above-board functioning legal and judicial system there would have already been arrests in the Satterfield case. JMO.

 

[MoeInVA]

I can’t imagine that judge Mullen will not be at least spoken to about this, in private.

Jmo

In an interview Wednesday, Bland said Mullen acted properly and that she was misled by Murdaugh, Fleming and Westendorf.

https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article254805177.html

...

If the above is true then Westendorf is next.

Hoping Bland contacted the Federal reserve.

The Fed - I have a problem with my bank. How do I file a complaint against it?

Just My Opinion:
I am a big Eric Bland fan. BUT. We have to keep in mind that Bland has an agenda too: his client’s. It makes sense to me that:
— he was hired to get the settlement funds for his clients.
— he wants Mullen’s ruling and the big settlement to stand
— he wants all settlement rulings to stand
— he does not necessarily support investigating if the Satterfield claims were fraudulent
— he does not necessarily support investigating broader corruption or crimes that could undermine his clients’ settlement

Bland is not without an agenda.
JMO

 

[clearskies1]

Just My Opinion:
I am a big Eric Bland fan. BUT. We have to keep in mind that Bland has an agenda too: his client’s. It makes sense to me that:
— he was hired to get the settlement funds for his clients.
— he wants Mullen’s ruling and the big settlement to stand
— he wants all settlement rulings to stand
— he does not necessarily support investigating if the Satterfield claims were fraudulent
— he does not necessarily support investigating broader corruption or crimes that could undermine his clients’ settlement

Bland is not without an agenda.
JMO

Well said.

 

[Born2BWild]

Just My Opinion:
I am a big Eric Bland fan. BUT. We have to keep in mind that Bland has an agenda too: his client’s. It makes sense to me that:
— he was hired to get the settlement funds for his clients.
— he wants Mullen’s ruling and the big settlement to stand
— he wants all settlement rulings to stand
— he does not necessarily support investigating if the Satterfield claims were fraudulent
— he does not necessarily support investigating broader corruption or crimes that could undermine his clients’ settlement

Bland is not without an agenda.
JMO

I agree with your post.

I recall hearing in one of the podcasts that the insurance company that paid out the first claim, who was also duped, now becomes the plaintiff in pursuing the fraud so the insurance co will now pursue the players (Fleming, AM, the bank, etc. So even if Bland didn’t want to pursue the matter further, others will. IMOO.

 

[Elley Mae]

SCMurdaugh Murders Saga: Media Still Covering For Dishonest Defense Attorneys

Murdaugh Murders Saga: Media Still Covering For Dishonest Defense Attorneys

South Carolina’s mainstream media has done plenty of “heavy petting” of Harpootlian and Griffin – long before the Murdaugh saga thrust these two Palmetto State criminal defense lawyers into the national limelight. And in fairness, Harpootlian and Griffin have earned a lot of their props. Previously, anyway.

Ever since this saga captured the attention of the country, though, the dynamic duo have done nothing but deceive, obfuscate, misdirect and evade. To some extent, that’s understandable (given what they are working with). But the servility shown by the press – especially by McClatchy media outlets – in the face of their ongoing misinformation campaign has been nothing short of nauseating.

How did we get here? Well, the Murdaugh family has been up to no good for decades. And they appear to have been up to no good with some very bad hombres. And it’s all starting to come out – and metastasize – as the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) aggressively pursues at least six different criminal inquiries involving the family and the powerful law firm it founded.

Indeed … and sources close to the investigation have told me to brace for additional whiplash-inducing developments in the weeks and months to come.

“This is going to go in a direction no one is anticipating,” a source familiar with the ongoing investigations told me last week.

As I have often said, this fatal crash – and its aftermath – shined a light on the Murdaughs like nothing before. And what this light has picked up has been intensely illuminating. Meanwhile, the wrongful death suit filed in the aftermath of the boat crash threatened to expose the finances of the family – and the firm. In fact, Alex Murdaugh was scheduled to appear in court on June 10, 2021 to answer to all manner of disclosure motions in the civil case – but this hearing never took place due to the savage slaying of his wife and youngest son three days earlier at the family’s hunting property, known as Moselle.

Currently, motions compelling the discovery of financial information have been taken under advisement by S.C. circuit court judge Daniel D. Hall of York, S.C.

 

[Countem]

In the banking and the court systems when is circumventing established procedures ever above reproach? Only the government really has a say in doing less or more than what's called for by established regulations and that's usually within some kind of national crisis. AJMO

Circumventing controls is always a no-no. The question is whether the circumvention of controls had a criminal intent and/or violated regulations that could lead to legal repercussions.

In the article, Bland implies that Judge M did not knowingly participate in the scheme led by AM. Unless any regulations were violated on her part, I do not believe that the circumnavigation of a court’s controls without a criminal intent, in and of itself, would be a crime, though it could be a “fireable” offense.

However, we will see what ultimately comes out.

Westendorf, being in the highly regulated banking industry, is going to have a much higher likelihood of facing charges if he knowingly circumvented controls set by regulation (whether or not he had an intent to commit fraud).

Neither are above reproach, it just comes down to intent, regulations, and established punishments for violations.

All MOO.

 

[Elley Mae]

Fleming said, in accordance with South Carolina law, the family would need a personal representative to deal with the survival claim and wrongful death claim.

While family members could have been the personal representative, Fleming chose Chad Westerdorf, of Palmetto State Bank, instead. Fleming, Murdaugh, and Westerdorf allegedly had a previous business relationship.

Lawsuit accuses Alex Murdaugh of stealing millions from housekeeper’s family | WSAV-TV

They made the claim against Lloyd’s of London insurance — Alex Murdaugh telling the insurer there was “no defense” to the claim and the claim “must be paid.”

Corey Fleming and Murdaugh worked together and they wrote a company out of Atlanta on that check called Forge,” he continued. “It was sent to a dummy P.O. box. Alex Murdaugh opened up a bank account under the name of Forge. The check was sent to a P.O. Box he got the check, he cashed it and he walked away with $2.7 million.”

“A defendant who is being sued to walk away with $2.7 is unheard of,” Bland said. “It’s illegal. The law enforcement agencies are looking into this. I will chase everybody who had something to do with this and make them accountable.”

The settlement statement from May 13, 2019, shows it was signed off on by Hampton County Judge Carmen Mullen. It does not have any signs of marks from the clerk of court and was apparently not filed into the court record.

 

[Elley Mae]

Separately, Fleming was named in a different lawsuit filed last month on behalf of Connor Cook, one of the passengers injured in the February 2019 boat crash that also killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach.


Alex Murdaugh’s close friend, Corey Fleming, gets SC law license suspended over misconduct allegations

...

Cook then told attorneys that Alex Murdaugh referred him to Cory Fleming — a longtime friend of the Murdaugh family who represented Gloria Satterfield‘s family in a wrongful death settlement against Alex Murdaugh in 2018.

‘Anything They Get In, They Get Out Of’: Bombshell Deposition Filed In Murdaugh Case

....

I wonder if AM, fleming planned to do the same to C Cook.

 

[JRWoodwardMSW]

There couldd

The part about the addiction story that just doesn't ring true for me is the lack of progression. No one stays addicted to the same thing for 20 years without a significant impact on their health. OR progressing to other substances.
But to look as healthy and borderline overweight as AM does and be addicted to oxy for twenty years?
That's a 'nope' from me dawg.

have been progression - user to abuser to addict. When Alec says”twenty years” he may be referring to his first experiences

 

[sunshineray]

Some interesting stuff...

On Wednesday, however, Bland said he no longer needed to take Mullen’s deposition and was dropping his request. Bland said he had since received information that enables him to completely prove his case against defendants Murdaugh, Fleming and Westendorft.

Bland said Tuesday that Mullen had recently recused herself from being a judge in all Murdaugh-related proceedings, so she should be a neutral and worthwhile witness who could testify in a deposition about what happened.

However, judges do not normally give depositions or answer questions about cases they preside over. Mullen had been expected to resist any attempt to depose her....

The documents also allegedly show how Murdaugh’s former law firm, Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick, was aware of the Satterfield settlement case early on....

Additionally, the documents show that Murdaugh’s former law firm, Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick, — which has attempted to distance itself from Murdaugh over the last month — could be implicated in the scheme.

PMPED, the law firm, represented both Satterfield’s estate and the then-representative of the estate, Tony Satterfield, the lawsuit said.

The firm “sent letters of representation of the Estate to third parties, prepared probate documents for the Estate and the Personal Representative of the Estate, notarized probate documents and exchanged emails with Cory Fleming ... and the beneficiaries of the Estate about the settlement funds,” the lawsuit said.

PMPED, however, has denied involvement in the Satterfield case, according to a message on their website.

Alex Murdaugh was mastermind in diverting over $3.5M in death settlement checks, court docs say

 

[JRWoodwardMSW]

Yes. There’s still a lot we don’t know about that whole incident.

Like, EVERYTHING!

 

[sunshineray]

Circumventing controls is always a no-no. The question is whether the circumvention of controls had a criminal intent and/or violated regulations that could lead to legal repercussions.

In the article, Bland implies that Judge M did not knowingly participate in the scheme led by AM. Unless any regulations were violated on her part, I do not believe that the circumnavigation of a court’s controls without a criminal intent, in and of itself, would be a crime, though it could be a “fireable” offense.

However, we will see what ultimately comes out.

Westendorf, being in the highly regulated banking industry, is going to have a much higher likelihood of facing charges if he knowingly circumvented controls set by regulation (whether or not he had an intent to commit fraud).

Neither are above reproach, it just comes down to intent, regulations, and established punishments for violations.

All MOO.

In another article I just recently quoted it also mentions the Judge again.

It seems the fact that AM was working both sides of the claim was kept a secret from the court? Somebody inside the court system got AM's name removed from official lawsuit documents. I wonder who could have done that and it not have been noticed?

Additionally, Murdaugh continued to work on both sides of the claim, the lawsuit says, where he “acted as the attorney for the Personal Representative and the Estate through his partnership of PMPED.”

Over next few months, Fleming made two separate wrongful death claims for Satterfield’s sons: one for $505,000, and one for $3.8 million.

Of the $3.8 million, the sons were supposed to receive $2.76 million, with the rest going to attorneys’ fees.

The attorneys met with Judge Mullen on both claims, and both were approved, according to the lawsuit.

Alex Murdaugh was mastermind in diverting over $3.5M in death settlement checks, court docs say